People group profile · PG020956
The Northern Thai of Laos
The Northern Thai of Laos, numbering about 44,500 people, are Unengaged and Unreached. They are a Tai people whose ancestors migrated southwestward from Guangxi in southern China between the 8th and 10th centuries, bringing advanced wet-rice cultivation, with Lanna speakers concentrated in northern Thailand and a smaller community in Laos.
They are an indigenous people in the Thai people cluster of the Southeast Asian Peoples. Their primary religion is Animism, and they primarily speak Northern Thai.
Fast facts
- Country
- Laos
- Population
- 44,500
- Affinity group
- Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
- People cluster
- Thai
- Primary language
- Northern Thai (nod)
- Primary religion
- Animism
- Strategic Progress Index
- Unengaged and Unreached
- Evangelical
- No Known Evangelicals
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Frontier Unreached People Group
- Region
- South-Eastern Asia, Asia
Where they live
Gospel status
The Northern Thai are Unengaged and Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, and there has been no reported church planting activity in the past two years. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.
- Congregations exist No
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Northern Thai
- Pray that God would send workers to this people group
- Begin sowing the gospel and seek out people of peace
- Plant the first churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice
Primary religion
Animism · Ethnoreligion
100% adherents
Primary language
Northern Thai · Tai-Kadai family
100% speak Northern Thai
Gospel resources in Northern Thai
- Bible available
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
Bibles
- Lanna Bible · video, audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Northern Thai
- Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
- 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
- Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
- Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
Thai, Northern in other countries
The same people (ROP3 104960) is reported in 1 other country.
| People group | Country | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Thai | Thailand | 7,425,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
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